EAST LANSING – Forest Akers East Golf Course, one of two championship courses on the campus of Michigan State University, will play host to the 14th GAM Junior Stroke Play Championship Wednesday and Thursday, Aug. 3-4.
It is the sixth consecutive year that Forest Akers East as hosted the age group championship for boy and girl golfers in age divisions 13-15 and 12-and-under.
The tournament is designed for young players to gain competitive experience in GAM tournaments over two days. Players are allowed to play up a division if they choose. The 13-15 players play 36 holes of stroke play, 18 holes each day, while the 12-and-under golfers play nine holes each day.
Forest Akers East is the lesser known of the two golf courses at Michigan State, but especially suited for young golfers. Many of the players will play it often as they move on to high school golf as both the West and East course host regional and state tournaments.
The East Course, founded in 1958, was redesigned in 1997 by Arthur Hills, and changed from a par 71 to par 72. Numerous trees and bunkers were also added for strategic enhancements. The most extensive improvement was the addition of the new Golf Center, which includes equipment, food service and other amenities.
Bryan Harris is the PGA professional at Forest Akers and Ron Lewis the superintendent. More information about Forest Akers East can be found at msuspartans.com.
The GAM Junior Stroke Play is a proven training ground. Two-time Michigan Women’s Amateur champion and 2018 GAM Women’s Champion, Allyson Geer of Brighton, cited the stroke play tournament as her first significant win in Michigan. U.S. Amateur champion James Piot of Canton and Andrew Walker of Battle Creek, both professional golfers, are also on the list of past champions.
Last year Max VanderMolen of Richland, the recent winner of the Michigan Junior State Amateur championship and Elise Fennell of Caledonia won the overall Junior Stroke Play titles, and the 12-and-under champions were JP Levan of Grand Rapids and Saisha Patil of Okemos.
VanderMolen is returning to defend and Fennell, a two-time champion, has aged out of the competition. Also back are Levan and Patil. Levan has moved up to the 13-15 division.
